Specialized Training for Parliamentary Effectiveness

Transcription

1 Specialized Training for Parliamentary Effectiveness Capacity Building for Parliaments Seminar for Faculty and Staff National Assembly Training Inst., Hanoi, Vietnam Feb. 7-9, 2007 Rasheed Draman Parliamentary Centre

2 Outline The Parliamentary Centre in brief Our Principles re Parliamentary training The Why of Parliamentary training The How of Parliamentary training Wrap up

3 Parliamentary Centre in Brief Origins Mission Evolution PC Around the world

4 What We Believe: Principles Strengthening legislatures as key institutions of governance Focus on key policy areas that directly impact on development: Poverty reduction Anti-corruption Gender; and HIV/AIDS Use Networking as a vehicle and provide training via networks as wells via bilateral programs

5 Principles ctd. Training and development as an instrument of empowering people/institutions Partnership/collaboration among existing entities that have competence/strengths Gender equality considerations in all aspects of development engagement

6 Why Train MPs and Staff? Five reasons: Provide parliaments, particularly in emerging democracies, opportunities to learn of best practices from other parliaments Parliament are complex institutions Attrition of MPs, movement of staff etc. MPs and staff are a heterogeneous group Skills required by both MPs and Staff to improve their performance in a fast changing world

7 Why - ctd. Above all: To promote and strengthen democracy and accountability Enhance social and economic justice

8 How? Traditional approach: The Parliamentary Centre + Other institutions/consultants Based on assessed needs and demand from partner parliaments, research conducted and various trainings/capacity building activities undertaken via bilateral programs in Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Haiti, Cambodia etc. Kenya: Over the last three years, special training modules designed for parliamentary staff both at the National Parliament and at the Constituency levels

9 How? ctd. Traditional approach: Pan-Africa (18 countries): various programs delivered through partner institutions on 4 key policy areas poverty reduction; anti-corruption; gender equality and HIV/AIDS Ghana: Specialized training for 6 parliamentary committees with a thrust on financial oversight; a program designed to set up a Budget Unit within Parliament; as well as a special program for the Public Accounts committee on Financial Scrutiny

10 How? -ctd Traditional approach: Ghana: Information Resource Coordinators, working within the PC, conduct research and provide support to various parliamentary committees on bills and other topical issues relevant for parliamentary debates Ghana: Flagship program is the annual pre- or post-budget training seminar for members all parliamentary committees before the debate on the budget

11 How? ctd. Based on Lessons learned over the last decade, our traditional approach is evolving Following in-country studies, parliamentary audits; various academic research; program evaluations, PC fast evolving into a specialized research and training institution with training programs focused on Budget and Financial oversight Lessons, particularly from 4 years of focus on policy issues sugges a need to sharpen the focus of our training programs towards an emphasis on improving the budget skills of MPs

12 How? ctd. In October 2006, a Learning Centre was established at the PC office in Accra, Ghana. Over the coming years, this will be a Centre of Excellence on Parliamentary Training Research is already underway on how to equip MPs with tools for optimum budget analysis as well as provide them with hands-on skills for debating and analysing the budget This research was tested in a recent training at the Learning Centre for members of the Budget and Finance Committees from Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda

13 How? ctd. At the PC headquarters in Ottawa, the Peter Dobell Institute for Democracy is being established. Focus: Parliamentary training open everyone from around the world Also, PC taking the lead in establishing a consortium of training institutions and civil society organizations to develop and deliver customized services that will strengthen parliaments by Meeting convened in Kenya in February 2006

14 How? ctd. Consortium institutions are: The Institute for Policy Alternatives (Ghana); Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (Tanzania); Forum for Women and Development (Uganda); School of Governance, University of Western Cape (South Africa); Office of Professional Development, Parliament of Uganda; Research on Poverty Alleviation (Tanzania); Forum Civile (Senegal)

15 Steps into the Future? Identify common needs by engaging with existing frameworks such as the New Partnership for Africa s Development (NEPAD), organizations such as the PAP as well as national parliaments Demand - engage those who constitute demand to help them shape their needs Supply systematize what we already do as institutions to offer a more coherent package

16 Strategies Content: What are we going to offer? Strengthen ability of Parliaments in Financial scrutiny and oversight Strengthen research capacity of parliaments Strengthening Public Policy Analysis Strengthening Institutional and HR Development Cross-cutting: Gender considerations Parliament/civil society engagement

17 Strategies ctd. Who are the targets? Parliamentary institutions and staff MPs Civil Society, as it interfaces with parliament Executive, in relation to their interface with Parliament Media

18 Wrap Up Targeted training for skills development key to parliamentary effectiveness Owing to high attrition rates and heterogeneous nature of MPs and staff, training is a continuous process Demand is monumental and no one institution can carry out the task alone